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Scientific Name Sturisoma barbatum  (Kner, 1853)
Common Names Longnose Whiptail
Gemeiner Bartwels (Germany)
Type Locality Rio Cuiabá, Brazil.
Synonym(s) Loricaria barbata
Etymology German, sturio = sturgeon, + Greek, soma = body. This specific epithet refers to its beard (barbatum=beard).
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 280mm or 11" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification Sturisoma and Sturisomatichthys can be difficult to tell apart. Older descriptions of the genera emphasized the length of the snout (elongated in Sturisoma), but this trait is not reliable across species. Recent analyses allow discrimination based on the abdominal plates, fin colors and lateral plates: Sturisoma has its central abdominal plates arranged in three clearly-defined longitudinal series; all fins (except sometimes pectoral fins) lack dark spots; and 20–21 lateral plates in median series. Sturisomatichthys has its central abdominal plates less organized, not arranged in clearly-defined longitudinal series; dark spots usually present on one or more of the dorsal-, pectoral-, pelvic, or anal-fins; and 15–18 lateral plates in median series. Furthermore, to date all Sturisoma are cis-Andean; most (but not all) Sturisomatichthys are trans-Andean.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution South America: Paraguay River basin.
La Plata, Paraná, Paraguay (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
pH 6.4 - 7.2
Temperature 20.0-22.0°C or 68-71.6°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters dH°15.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Breeding Unreported.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference [Denkschriften der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien, Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Classe. v. 6, pp87 [23] Pl. 5 (figs. 1-3)
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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There are 4 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Sturisoma barbatum QR code LFS label creator
Last Update 2019 Sep 25 14:06 (species record created: 2003 Jan 25 00:00)